Two Loves Lost Equals One Love Found
by PureRoyalNative
Summary: MacCready and Nora both thought that after the deaths of their partners they would never be able to find that long-full spark ever again. Only after nearly a year of the two of them traveling and battling the Commonwealth together have they started to realize that maybe their relationship delves deeper than them just watching each other's backs. Fallout. Rated M for sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Writer's Note: This is another entry on my long going quest of posting many collabs between characters from the Fallout series. As always I am happy receive feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

(Diamond City, 2287)

Nora and MacCready step up to the Power Noodles stand and take a seat on the bar stools next to one another. The night is calm for the first time in the past few days. No rain, no radiation storms, just the warm dust being kicked up by all the market shoppers looking for the daily bargain.

The past week has been rougher than most. Nora has discovered the whereabouts of her son Shaun only to be slammed with the information that he doesn't have much longer to live. On top of that MacCready has been distracted a lot by the well-being of his own son. They have found him a cure but there is still the wonder of how long it will take Duncan to recover after nearly a year of illness. The two of them really need an outlet in order to allow themselves even just one night of uninterrupted sleep.

MacCready looks to Nora and gives her a cheeky smile then turns to the chef. "Hey Takahashi my man, pour me a usual will ya?'

Takahashi gives his usual response, "Nan-ni shimasho-ka?" He puts down his stirring spoon and turns towards the fridge behind him.

Nora giggles which gets MacCready's attention. "The usual? What is that?"

"You start with some Nuka-Cola Quantum, add some vodka, whiskey, and gin. Shake it and finish with a splash of radscorpion venom."

Nora gives him a curious yet disgusted expression. "Is this how your teeth got to be so rotted?" She teases.

"That and the fact my diet growing up was eating Sugar Bombs any chance that I could."

Nora shakes her head. "You are so crazy."

"Hey, the only crazy thing would be to ask for a second round." He thinks to himself for a moment. "Come to think of it... Takahashi make one for my friend as well."

Nora raises her hand to stop him. "No no, I'm good-"

"Oh come on. What are you scared?" He taunts.

"No! I just-" She sighs realizing by his wide eyed expression that nothing she says is going to change his mind. "How does someone even come up with a drink like that?"

"I have been drinking since I was six so at this point I need something with a little more kick."

Takahashi quickly pours the ingredients into a martini shaker and instead of just shaking his arms up and down he shakes his entire upper body. Everyone at the bar laughs at the sight of him looking as if he is mimicking a washing machine. After about twenty seconds he stops and pulls out two shot glasses from under the bar, then pours the mixture into them in front of MacCready.

"Thanks pal. Just add them to my tab."

Nora giggles again, "He lets _you_ have a tab?"

"Yeah, for about... six months now."

"Wow. And how much do you owe him?"

"Let's not worry about that now. Here." He slides one glass between his index and middle finger over to her. She turns up her nose at the sight of its green color and the scent of all the hard liquors whose mixtures are still bubbling from the shake. "Don't think about it just knock it back and enjoy the ride." She continues to contemplate her next move. His tone becomes more serious. "Nora look, I know I'm not the easiest guy to understand, but... this is my way of showing you that I want to do anything in my power to help you in any way you may need it. And no matter what might come our way I'll be right here to make sure things turn out okay." He takes her by the hand which surprises her. This isn't the first time he has expressed his emotions but it is the first time he seems to be doing so without any hint of sarcasm. She looks up into his big, blue eyes. "You trust me... don't you?"

The question strikes her like a pinprick to her heart. "Of course I do. It would be pretty stupid of me to have traveled around with you all this time if I didn't."

"Well then..." He lifts up his glass and holds it out for hers.

She picks up her own and tinks it against his. They lift the glasses to their lips and Nora waits for MacCready to start downing his then follows suit. She closes her eyes tightly and waits for her gag reflex to kick in but it never does. Eventually she lifts up her head and blinks her eyes a few times. The rush of the Quantum is the first thing to strike, dilating her pupils, and sending her senses into overdrive. There is only a slight burning that comes after the flavors subside and she finds it to be pretty tasty. She turns to MacCready with an ecstatic grin. It is a look he has never seen her make before.

"Nora, are you alright?" He asks a bit concerned.

Her grin grows slightly bigger. "I feel fantastic."

(The Next Day)

Blinking her eyes open slowly, Nora looks around the dimly lit room and discovers that she is laying on her new bed inside Home Plate. At first she feels a bit uncomfortable considering she has been so on edge lately that actually getting a full nights rest makes her feel vulnerable. Anything could have happened to her while she was dead asleep and by the time she could know what was happening it would have been too late. MacCready was good on his word though, they made it through the night safely. He had locked the doors and ensured that nothing would disturb her sleep.

The smell of grilled brahmin meat fills the building and her stomach turns informing her that her body needs nutrients in order to start the day. She sits up and her head spins causing her to almost vomit but she is somehow able to keep it down. She sets her feet on the floor and uses the wall as a balance to help her stand up. She nearly knocks over the entire shelf of knickknacks that coat the bedroom walls. Every time they have set out on another mission she has been sure to bring something back as a kind of souvenir. She can not bare to come home empty handed because then she would feel like every time she goes out it was just for someone else. Some could argue that she is just hording stuff but more than once she has had to sell off a lot of things just to get by. That is how she paid for this spot in Diamond City after all. Her only regret is not finding something she can give to MacCready that she thinks he would really appreciate. He has helped her so many times already to carry items home because he knows the end result is more caps but most of the time they just end up in the pockets of settlers or shopkeepers for supplies.

She shakes her head then walks past the room divider, towards the kitchen area, and pulls back the large curtain to the other side. "Please tell me it is just you Robert." She sees him standing in front of the makeshift stove and using a spatula to turn over a large chunk of cooked meat.

"Hey, good morning sleepy head. Yeah don't worry. No one else here but this crazy guy," he chuckles as he points to himself.

"Good." Nora sits down at the table and plops her face in her arms. "Oh god. I don't know what was worse, the caffeine from the Quantum, or the poison from the radscorpion."

MacCready removes the meat from the stove and sets it on a large plate to carry it over to the table. "So you do remember some things from last night. I would have figured you blacked it all out." He uses a knife and fork to cut the meat into slices.

"Naw, I remember everything... except us falling asleep."

He laughs, "Yeah, by the time I got you through the door last night you were already out. No worries. I didn't take advantage of you," he teases.

She lifts her head to look at him. "Why not?" She asks genuinely.

MacCready is taken back by her response, "What do you mean?"

"Well... I happen to recall trying to kiss you last night but you refused me. Why?"

"That should be obvious. I thought you were only acting that way because you were drunk and I didn't find it right that our first kiss should be when we were both not in a clear state of mind. It should be something we can both say happened at the right moment." He blushes suddenly realizing what this means. "I have to say I was not expecting this conversation." His body becomes warm as he looks down at her. He has always found her to be beautiful but at this moment he could swear she is glowing. Her lips and cheeks are so pink and he can tell just by looking at them that they have to be extremely soft as well. He is nervous about what to say next. "So... does this mean that you still... want to kiss me?" His heart jumps up to his throat causing his voice to crack a bit.

"A few passing hours isn't going to change my mind about you." She looks down at the table a moment to think then back up at him. "Robert, I want you to know-" She is cut off by a sudden loud banging of someone knocking on the front door. She huffs, "What the fuck is it now? Jesus you would think living in an apocalypses you could get some piece once in a while." She angrily walks over to the door. "Who is it?" She hollers.

The voice of a gen one synth answers on the other side, "I am sorry to disturb you ma'am but I have a message for you from Father."

She unlocks the door quickly and opens it wide. "What is it?" She grumbles.

"Father has requested your assistance on another courser retrieval."

"Of course he has. So where is this one hiding?"

MacCready joins her at the door and becomes annoyed at the sight of the synth.

"The last known whereabouts of X8-37 is at Fairline Hills Estates. This information was reported to The Institute about eight minuets ago."

"Alright. Give me a few minutes to get dressed then I will head out."

"Thank you so graciously ma'am."

She closes the door in his face not wanting to listen even a second longer to his high pitched, mechanical tone. She places her fingers over her head that has immediately began to throb again. MacCready notices her struggle.

"Nora, I don't think it is a good idea for you to do this. You need to rest."

She lets out a sigh knowing he is right. "I know. But what else can I do? I can't just sit around when I know that innocent people are being murdered."

"I am just worried about this mind set of yours. You can't save everyone and the more you try to do so the more you are just hurting yourself. You need to take time for you once in a while."

"I know. I will. Let's just get this done and then maybe we can put our minds together and think of somewhere we can go that I'm not going to be pressured by The Institute, or the Minutemen, or the endless problems with the Caravans." Her voice becomes more and more stressed as she talks.

He hushes her. "I already have an idea."

"Really?" She becomes intrigued.

"But it will have to wait until after we get this done."

"Alright," she says disappointed.

They both want so badly to give each other their first kiss to help them relax, but it is time to get into business mode. They head back to the kitchen and scarf down their meal before gearing up. When ready Nora takes MacCready by the hand and turns on her teleporter.

"This is Nora Caragan ready to relay with Robert MacCready."

In one quick flash they become nothing more than particles traveling at the speed of lightning to their destination.


	2. Chapter 2

(Fairline Hills Estates)

Approaching from the north, they strike the ground as a quick beam of light just behind the large, red, house. Still not being fully use to the transition MacCready gags and shakes his head towards the ground as if he is about to vomit.

"Oh god. I swear there has to be an easier way to travel," he says sarcastically.

"You'll be fine in a second, now keep your voice down," Nora commands.

She lifts off her automatic plasma rifle from her shoulder strap and uses its scope to look through the windows of the other seemingly empty houses.

"See anything?" MacCready whispers.

"Nothing." Her eyes scan the house to their right. "Wait! That one. It looks like it has a barricaded door."

"Well then let's get in there." MacCready moves to walk around her.

She lifts up her arm to his chest to stop him. "Not so fast. It could be a trap."

"So what if it is? Let's just get over there, kick that coursers ass so we can start our vacation already." He continues towards the house.

She lowers her rifle but keeps it tight to her shoulder. "Alright. If we are going to do this you take the back while I try the front door."

"Got it."

They swiftly approach the building from both sides. MacCready watches Nora through the broken, living-room, window. She places her hand over the knob and uses her body weight to try to push it open. It doesn't budge. She tries a second time with a bit more force but still nothing. She turns to MacCready and shakes her head. She then motions her head to signal for them to continue around to the side of the house where they find a make shift ramp leading up to the second floor.

"I'll go first. Watch my back," Nora instructs.

He gives her a hard nod then she jumps up onto the ramp and slowly ascends it. A hole in the wall of the building is her entrance. The upstairs is dark and silent. To her left is an open window that allows her to see the small children's park in the center of town. To the right is nothing but a hill with dead tress. The only point of interest is the closed door right in front of her. 'Is he in there? Does he know we're here?' She takes a look behind her and finds MacCready standing guard at the foot of the ramp. His presence alone helps to give her enough confidence to take on whatever may be on the other side. She grips the door knob but finds it is locked.

"Shit," she mutters.

"What's wrong?" MacCready asks.

"Nothing. It's just going to take me a moment to pick this lock."

As she feels the tumblers fall into place the sound of something moving can be heard on the other side. She readies her rifle again then slowly pushes the door open. Her Pip-boy illuminates the room. She searches high and low but finds only a broken down bed in the far corner as well as a suitcase resting up against a dresser. Feeling the room is secure she turns her attention to the suitcase. 'Might as well see what is inside.' She makes quick work of the lock and lifts the top open. She is amazed to find that it is loaded from side to side with bundles of prewar bills. 'Holy shit! There has to be at least a million dollars in here!' She removes her pack from her back and loads it up.

"Find anything?" MacCready asks while still keeping guard outside.

Wanting to keep her find a surprise she lies, "Just an empty room." As she is about to leave she sees the mattress of the bed shuffle. 'What the fuck?' To her fear, she notices its underside is emitting a bright green glow. She then hears the sound of grunting then groaning as a large, bulbous figure stands up before her. "Oh fuck! Bloated, glowing, feral!" She shouts warning MacCready.

She hurries back to the ramp and lifts up her rifle to fire. Just as she is about to squeeze the trigger, a large dark figure jumps through the open window on her left. Before she even has time to react, the figure pulls out a handgun, places it right up against her left elbow between the small gap of her armor, and squeezes the trigger. A loud bang rings throughout the town as a splatter of blood and bits of bone fly through the air before hitting the wall on the far side of he room. Nora tries to let out a scream of agony but gets struck in the chest by the assailant so hard it knocks the wind out of her. She is knocked backward, through the broken wall, off the ramp, causing her back to strike against her loaded back pack as she lands hard on the grassy yard. Luckily her armor absorbs most of the blow but it takes her a moment to collect her breath.

"Holy shit! Nora, are you okay?" MacCready becomes frantic.

"Robert, look out!" She shouts.

Her warning comes too late and he too gets shoved from the ramp. However, he is able to catch himself by tumbling forward then landing on his feet. He swiftly turns and discovers their target standing before them. MacCready readies his hunting rifle and aims strait for the courser's head.

"Say good night mother fucker!" He taunts as he fires off a round.

The courser moves his head just out of target range then laughs mocking him. Just then the ghoul comes careening down the ramp towards him. He begins to panic. Suddenly he finds himself back in that subway tunnel. The feral ghouls, the lack of a plan, a loved on laying helpless before him. 'Not again.' He looks to Nora. He can see that she is bleeding badly but he can't tell from where. He looks to her eyes and he can tell she is scared. 'I need to help her.' Somehow his fingers find the trigger and he manages to fire off a round that strikes the ghoul on the side of the head but it is not enough to stop it. It continues to run at him full force and slams its gut into him, knocking him to the side.

"Robert!" Nora calls out, praying that he is okay.

The courser jumps down from the ramp and lands himself standing directly over her. He looks down at her with cold, emotionless eyes. "Hello Mother," his voice is just as emotionless.

"Please, it doesn't have to be this way. If you really don't want to go back, I can help you."

The courser takes hold of her wounded arm and begins to twist it violently. "Does it look like I need your help?"

Nora cries out in excruciating pain as she hears the bones in her arm snap. The courser sticks his fingers into her Pip-boy and rips out the courser chip inside. He then lifts Nora up by her wrist to place her face to face with him. She feels as if her arm is going to tear in half any second.

"Consider this your only warning. Leave my kind alone or you will suffer even more than you are now."

She cries out in pain again.

"Hey asshole!" MacCready shouts.

The courser turns to face him. He fires off a shot right between the courser's eyes scattering bits of metal from his face but it doesn't manage to faze him. He tosses Nora to the ground then begins to approach MacCready.

"You stupid, insignificant, human."

The courser reaches out his arm to grab him by the throat but his arm becomes melted off by a plasma round. He looks towards Nora who is struggling to keep her grip on her rifle from her position on the ground, but looks at him with confidence that her next shot will strike true. Realizing that they now have the upper-hand he quickly flees, taking cover behind one of the houses. MacCready hurries close behind to not let him get away. Nora soon joins him. They watch as the courser sprints down the street away from them.

"I got him," MacCready says ready to aim his gun.

Nora places the barrel of her riffle over his to stop him. "No. This one is mine." She slips her pack off her back.

He watches as she lifts the rifle up to her right shoulder but she can't quite get her left arm to do what she needs it to. "Umm, should your arm be crooked like that?"

"It's fine," she responds annoyed.

She aims down her sights at the coursers back. Once she has him lined up she allows the rifle to spurt out a few rounds that all hit him down the line of his spin, before spreading over his entire core, and melting him into a mound of goo. Once certain that he is down for good Nora finally lowers her weapon.

"You see. No sweat." She suddenly grips her arm and falls to the floor in agony.

"Nora, are you alright?"

She grits her teeth. "It's my arm. I'm pretty sure it's broken."

"Well let me see." He forces her to lay back flat on the ground then cuts off the sleeve of her armor as well as her shirt. As he peals the blood soaked fabric from the wound he can see that the bones of her lower arm and elbow have broken through her skin and are bleeding rapidly. "Yeah, that looks pretty bad," he tries to keep his voice calm even though he can tell her condition is very serious. He takes her Pip-boy into his hands and unlatches it from her arm. He attaches it to his own then begins to mess with the knobs. "So how do you get this thing to zap us back?"

"It won't work like that now. The courser made sure to remove the chip so we couldn't continue to track him down."

"Well isn't that fucking fantastic," he growls.

Nora begins to cry from the pain. "I'll be okay. Just help me get bandaged up."

MacCready admires her bravery but he knows that bandages wont help for long. "Nora, I promise you, I am going to get you to a doctor just as soon as I can."

He slips his pack off his back and pulls out their first-aid kit. First he dumps alcohol over the open parts of her wound then uses a clean cloth to dab it dry. Nora cries out in pain again. His heart aches feeling terrible for causing her discomfort but there is not much else he can do that wont risk her life further. He takes out the bandage rolls and tightly wraps it around her arm. She cries out again.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." She sucks in air through her teeth. "Just give me a stimpak for now and we can worry about the rest later."

"Nora, you know as well as I do that's not going to help with an injury this bad."

"Well I need something!" She growls. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. This is just the worst pain I have ever felt it my entire life and I didn't think anything could be worse than child birth."

MacCready thinks for a moment. "Well, I do know a sedative that might help. But it's risky. Depending on the dose it could even be fatal."

"What is it?"

"I've never given it a name but it is something I learned to make back when I ran with the gunners. I use to make it all the time to help me fall asleep after... well pretty much anytime I was having trouble really."

"Well if you want to make it for me, I trust you."

He hesitates but the longer he looks into her tear filled eyes the more he wants to do anything he can to sooth her. He rummages through his pack again and takes out numerous drug vials and bottles. Nora studies him as he carefully and precisely mixes the different components into an empty glass jar with a dropper. He then seals the lid onto the jar and shakes it for about a minute. To her curiosity he take his lighter and begins to heat up the glass until the mixture inside turns to a slight reddish color. He then takes an empty syringe and fills it about a fourth of the way. He holds it up strait and taps the tip while ejecting a bit into the air to let all the air-bubbles out. He grabs a rubber tube and straps it around her right arm with ease.

"You have done this a few times," she teases.

"Just a few," he teases back. "But don't worry. I kicked myself from this stuff way back when we first met." He gives her a smile. "Alright, here we go. Now just to warn you, before this knocks you out you are gonna feel a bit loopy, okay? So don't panic or your blood might move too much of it to your heart at once."

"Okay," she replies.

He carefully finds the vein in her arm and injects her with the syringe. After a moment he pulls the tube from her arm and right away she can feel it start to work. She gives him a smile and he is relieved to see he didn't fuck it up.

"Alright, now the only problem we have is getting you to a doctor. The only way I see that happening is by carrying you so that means I will have to leave our stuff behind."

Nora just lets out a relaxed moan but then looks to him worried. "No! We have to bring back my back pack!"

"Look, whatever is in there we will just have to find another one."

"No Robert! If you leave that pack behind I will _never_ forgive you."

He takes hold of its strap and finds it too be extremely heavy. "Nora, its too heavy. I will be able to carry you faster without it.

"No," she begs in a slurred, drunk like tone.

He can tell she is starting to fall asleep but it shouldn't have such a rapid effect. "Nora! Sweetheart can you still hear me?"

"Sweethearts!" She replies even more slurred. "I've always loved getting those for valentine's day."

"Shit. I gave you a bit too much of the sedative."

"Sensitive?" She responds mishearing him. "I am not _that_ sensitive and l-look who is judging Mr... Judgey-pants."

He smiles with tears streaming down his cheeks. He is happy she is no longer in pain but she is far from okay. Doing as she asks he straps the back pack onto his shoulders then lefts her up into his arms. She is lighter than he was expecting but still wishes he could just focus all his strength on her instead of the pack. She nuzzles her face into his chest then begins to snore in her sleep. She looks so adorable he just wants to lean down and kiss her, but instead he places his focus on the road heading north.


	3. Chapter 3

About a mile outside of Diamond City MacCready finds himself loosing his strength in his legs. His adrenaline has also warn off. He tries with all his might to push forward wanting so desperately to get Nora to a doctor but he can no longer control his muscles. He falls to his knees exhausted but keeps Nora clutched close to his chest. He searches the road for a caravan but of course none are happening by since he needs one. He grabs his canteen and takes a big swig of water into his mouth. It helps him to feel a bit better but not enough to keep him going. He looks down at Nora who is still fast asleep.

"I'm not going to give up. No matter what."

He uses what little energy he has left to lift himself back onto his feet. He tells himself 'Just a few more steps. You can do it. One step at a time and before you know it we'll be back in Diamond City. Just a few more steps. Another and another.'

He suddenly looses feeling in his feet and falls to the pavement nearly landing on top of Nora.

"Shit!" He grumbles to himself. "I'm sorry Nora but I have to get rid of this backpack."

Just as he is about to pull the straps off his shoulders, a bright light flashes before him. A gen one synth appears out of the light and approaches them.

"Mr. MacCready, we have been waiting to hear back from Mother for hours. What's happened?"

"Oh sure, now you show up," MacCready grumbles. "Look, we have to get Nora to a doctor as soon as possible. She is badly hurt."

The gen one looks down at her then back to him. "Please, give her to me and I will take care of her."

"No! You use that fancy fuckin' teleporter of yours and you beam us both to someone who can help her."

The gen one just looks at him for a moment with his arms still extended. When MacCready doesn't budge he lowers them.

"As you wish Sir."

He grabs both of them by the shoulders then MacCready shuts his eyes tightly trying to mentally prepare himself for the jump. They become a flash of molecules then reform at the platform inside the institute. MacCready carries Nora the entire way to the clinic with the gen one giving its assistance. Once inside, he places her down on a stretcher then pulls the backpack from his shoulders and sets it on the floor next to her. He turns to the gen one.

"No one is to touch this backpack. You got it? It belongs to Nora."

"As you wish Sir. I will go alert the doctor."

The gen one leaves them and MacCready turns his attention back to Nora. He takes her hand into this a gives it a gentle kiss.

"I did it Nora. You're gonna be okay now."

She stirs still half asleep. "Robert?"

Tears form in his eyes as he leans in closer to hear her better. "Yes sweetheart. I'm here."

She struggles with her words, "Don't... don't..."

He hushes her, "It's okay. I'm right here."

"Don't ever... leave me."

His tears soak his cheeks as his heart is unable to believe her words. "I won't. Not ever."

The doctor rushes into the room with a few nurses at his side. "Come on people. Let's move it. I want her prepped and in the medical bay in minus one minute."

They strip her of her armor as well as her clothing. MacCready turns his head away to not rob her of her dignity. They lay a large white sheet over her, then grab her stretcher, and begin to push her into the next room. MacCready tries to follow them but one of the nurses blocks his way.

"Please I need to stay with her," he begs.

"I am afraid I can't allow that. Once we bring her back out here you will be more than welcome to visit her but right now you need to trust us to take care of her."

"Please just let me immediately if anything goes wrong."

"We will do what we can," she informs. "Right now the best thing you can do is try to relax and get some rest. If you need medical assistance just let someone know and another doctor will see you when they can."

"It's just... I need to know if she is going to be okay."

"I understand but from what we've already seen she is in a pretty serious condition. Now I have to go. You get some rest."

She closes the door and walks away down the hall. MacCready pounds his fist against the wall frustrated, feeling useless. He takes a seat in one of the guest chairs but it doesn't take long for him to become too restless. He decides it is better if he takes a walk.

Hours pass and MacCready hears no word on Nora's condition. Feeling as if he is going to go mad from both worry and guilt he tries his best to distract himself. He fills his belly at the cafeteria then decides to ask one of the Institute members about where he can take a shower. They allow him access to one of their apartments and tell him to feel free to use any items he may acquire inside. He takes them up on their offer and after using the apartment's bathroom to ensure that every last inch of himself is clear of grim, blood, and who knows what else, he grabs one of the white jumpsuits from the bedside dresser and slips it on.

As he looks at himself in the mirror he thinks, 'Not really my style. But it is clean.'

He takes a seat on the bed and runs his fingers across his forehead. Unable to fight his exhaustion any longer he lies down and looks up at the white washed ceiling.

'Man this place is boring. I can't imagine living like this day in and day out. What is the point unless you go out and have a little fun once in a while? Why am I even thinking like this? It's not like Nora and I will be staying here. I guess a part of me wants to only because then I know Nora would be safe.'

His eyes become heavy and he drifts into a deep sleep. Time continues to move slowly as MacCready dreams. Flashes of memories appear before him. Things he thought he had forgotten. Moments from his childhood that lead him to the person he is today. His days as the mayor at Little Lamplight. The evening of his first kiss. Hearing the sound of his son crying for the very first time after his late wife had given birth. Then all he can hear is the screams. The screams of his victims from back when he was with the gunners. The screams of Lucy as she was ripped apart by ghouls. Then the screams from Nora, as her arm was split in two by that courser.

MacCready's eyes shoot open as he suddenly awakes from his slumber. He sits up from the bed feeling wet and cold all over. 'So much for a shower.' He rubs his eyes then wonders how long he was asleep. With no sky to look up at he could have been out for a week and would never know.

He makes his way down to the clinic and becomes ecstatic to see that Nora has been brought out from the medical bay. His excitement dissipates a bit when he realizes she has been hooked up to a bunch of tubes and wires. She even has an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. A nurse is tending to her so he decides to approach her.

"How did everything go?" He asks.

"Well, it was as we feared. She was in the critical stages of blood loss and the doctor had to pretty much piece back together the bones and joint muscles in her elbow. Also we discovered that she had high levels of opioids in her system."

"The opioids were my idea. I take full responsibility."

"Well lucky for you we don't have any real laws against the usage of such drugs but I suggest that in the future you do your best to keep from using them."

"Oh believe me, I wouldn't have done so if I hadn't found it absolutely necessary. I mean I... I could have..." He finds the words hard to say it out loud, "...I could have killed her." He bites down on his right index finger.

"But instead you saved her life," the nurse assures him. "I am sure she will be forever grateful for that."

He points to the machines attached to her chest still unable to catch his breath. "So what... what is all this she is hooked up to?"

"The wires on her chest are nothing medical, they are only there to monitor her heart-rate. The IV bag is laced with addictol which we are using to flush her system of the opioids. And she has an oxygen mask that is helping to clear some of the dust and radiation out of her lungs."

"So she is going to be okay?"

"Yes, she is going to be just fine."

He lets out a breath of relief. "I see her arm has a cast. Does that mean she'll still have full function?"

"We're not sure just now. We'll have to wait a few weeks for it to heal and then she will probably have to have some physical training before it can get back to normal."

He wipes his face trying to keep a strong face. "Thank you nurse. Just knowing she is going to be okay makes me feel a whole lot better. Is it okay if I stay here with her?"

"By all means." She nods.

"Thanks."

He pulls up a chair next to her bed and takes her right hand into his. He runs his fingers along hers and becomes happy just to feel the sensation of her warmth on her skin. He just sits and listens to the rhythm of her breathing for hours on end, praying that at any moment she will open her eyes.

The next morning MacCready wakes up to find that he had fallen asleep while sitting in the chair, with his face resting against Nora's bed. He wipes his eyes and stretches himself out, feeling a kink in his back.

Her doctor enters the room and takes a step up to her bed. "Let's see how she is doing." He checks her pulse with his fingers, then writes down a few things on his clipboard. He checks her monitors then turns to Nora to remove her oxygen mask.

"Why isn't she awake yet?" MacCready asks worried.

"Well, I had hoped she would be better recovered by now but then again she was in a severely weakened state. However all her vitals are stable and even her lungs have cleared up so my guess is she will be up in a matter of hours. We just have to give her a little more time."

"Is there anything I can do doctor? I'm feeling really useless just sitting here."

"If that is the case then why don't you work on doing something nice for her for when she wakes up."

"Like what?"

"Oh I don't know... the traditional thing is to give flowers, you could buy her a gift, write her something that expresses your feelings... you know that kind of thing."

MacCready thinks to himself for a moment about what he could do that would be unique to her. Something she would appreciate. As he thinks, his tongue moves over his teeth and as he feels all the cracks and bumps along its surface. He then remembers all the times that Nora has commented about how bad they look. It suddenly clicks.

"Doctor, where can I find a dentist?"


	4. Chapter 4

Later that afternoon MacCready returns to the clinic with a new set of chompers. Still a bit hazy from the knockout gas they gave him, he becomes confused when he enters the room only to find Nora is no longer in her bed. He frantically looks around for anyone who might know where she has gone but then he hears the sound of someone talking from inside the clinic's bathroom. He knocks on the door and waits for a reply.

"Well be done here in a minute," a gen two responds.

MacCready waits impatiently for the two of them to come out. Before long, he can hear Nora being helped out of the tub, then dried off, and dressed before stepping out of the room. Both of their eyes light up as they look into each others eyes.

"Oh my god, Nora. You're awake," MacCready cries.

"Hello Robert," she greets with a smile. She almost didn't recognize him without his rundown clothes and goatee. She turns to the gen two. "Can you leave us to be alone for a bit please?"

"Sure thing Mother. Just be sure to take it easy."

"I understand."

The gen two steps out of the room and the two of them just stare at each other finding the room quiet and awkward.

"So how are you feeling?" He asks.

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"I've been having a few bad headaches but other than that nothing major."

"I'm glad."

They become quiet again.

"Well come on back to your bed. You must still be exhausted."

"Only a little." She walks over and sits down then pats the spot next to the bed.

He sits down beside her. "So, are you ready to tell me what was so important in your backpack that we both nearly risked life and limb for it?"

"I can't," she protests.

"Why not?"

"Because that will ruin the surprise."

"What surprise?"  
She gives him a look. "Seriously? You can't ask a question like that."

"Nora, we both nearly died. I think I have the right to know."

"Please Robert. You have to trust me that it will be better to just wait."

He sighs and lowers his head, "I feel like most of my life has been nothing but waiting. Waiting for a family to give me a home, waiting to grow up, waiting to start my own family, and now..."

"Now what?" Nora pries.

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I guess I am waiting for someone to tell me. Taking the next step has never been easy for me."

"You once told me that... Lucy saw you as a solider. Did she actually say that to you or did you just assume it?"

"Well I told her I was a solider. I think she more saw me as a man who once looked out for himself trying his best to put the past behind him in an effort to become a decent father. It begs the question, which I admit I am afraid to ask, how do you see me?"

"I see..." Her eyes study him for a moment. "...a young boy, perhaps the same one who grew up in that cave, crying out for love. I am sure Lucy got a glimpse of that part of you and I am sure that is how she was able to touch you in such a deep way. You must miss her terribly and for that I am sorry."

"It's true, I miss Lucy a lot... but at some point we have to move on, don't you think?"

"I was hoping you would say that because I want what we have together to be more than friendship. What about you?"

"I... I don't know. I mean, I never thought the two of us would get this close. What about your husband? I know he's gone, but you still love him, don't you?"

"Like you said, that's the past. You're all that matters to me now."

"Really? Wow! I know I was taking a chance dumping all my feelings on the table. But now that I know how you really feel about me... it was definitely worth the risk. You know, before your injury I was thinking, for once in my life everything's going right... and I have you to thank for it. I don't think anyone in the world could ask for a greater gift than that. So thank you." He shakes his head feeling overwhelmed. "Wow, I think this is the first time in his life that I'm actually happy."

"You were not happy with Lucy?"

"I thought I was but now I realize that the bond we had, at least for me, was a paternal one. It wasn't like how it is with us. With Lucy I didn't feel like I could be honest with her and I did my best to get along with her for the sake of our son. But with you I feel like I not only can, but I want to be as honest and open with you as possible."

They look deeply into each others eyes. Their hearts ache as they beat rapidly wanting so badly to be held close together. Nora hitches herself up next to him and places her hand over the curve of his neck. Her thumb caresses his jawline gently. She is surprised by how smooth his skin is. He gives her a smile and she notices how his teeth are now full and white.

"Wow. I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you look so handsome right now," she admits.

"Is it because of my teeth?" He asks while sticking his finger up to his mouth.

"It's just... everything. I think this is the first time I am getting a complete visual of the real you. No walls, no sarcasm, just Robert Joseph MacCready."

She leans in to give him a kiss and for the slightest moment he pulls back from her. She stops to look at him and she can tell he wants to say something. She waits a few seconds to give him time to respond to her gesture. His lips quiver and he licks them to get them to stop. He then lets out a deep, long, sigh while placing his hand over hers. She moves in for a second try and this time he is more receptive. He opens his mouth slightly and her bottom lip caresses his just before her upper lip gently presses against his. They both take in a deep breath as she pulls back to readjust herself. Moving in for a third time she places more pressure against the center of his mouth and gives him a smooch. Wanting more, MacCready slips his tongue between her lips and they finally experience the taste that they have both longed for. Their hearts skip a beat as they pull each other in and slide their fingers up each others backs. They can feel so much warmth, so much lust, and so much love.

Nora pulls herself away from the kiss to look at him once again. "Robert?"

"Yeah?" He replies a bit sad that she has decided to stop.

"I want to know what your idea was." She waits for him to respond but he just looks at her confused. "You know... about us going away somewhere."

It suddenly clicks. "Oh, right." They loosen their grips but keep their hands folded around one another. "So I was listening to the radio the other day, and an ad came up about a theme park. I was thinking we could do that. Once you get better that is."

"I don't think I can wait that long." She looks down at her cast. "I just want us to go somewhere where we can spend some time alone without interruptions."

He brushes his fingers through her hair. "I know sweetheart, but I am not willing to take another risk so soon after this last one. You have no idea how scared I was when I saw that courser standing over you. With that ghoul trying to maul me I thought I wasn't going to save myself in time to help you. I don't know how I did it but I blasted that fuckers brains out and got back to my feet so fast." His body begins to shiver with anxiety. "I don't want to lose you."

He lowers his head and Nora holds him against her chest. He takes in deep breaths to try to calm himself. Nora hushes him and runs her fingers along the back of his neck.

"It's okay. I'm right here." His body shivers again. "Hey, hey. Look at me."

He does as she asks. She tries to think of something to say but becomes frustrated and just huffs to herself. He leans into her and plants another long and passionate kiss on her. She moans a bit as her womanly instincts become heightened. She wishes she could just let herself go and allow him to take her right here on the hospital bed but that isn't how she wants their first time to be. It must be some place private where they can have all the time in the world to pleasure one another.

As if cued to validate her point, her doctor enters the room to catch them in the middle of their make out session. He stops in his tracks realizing he has just walked in on a very serious moment.

"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt," he apologizes.

"That's alright doctor," Nora says clearing her throat as she and MacCready lean back from each other. "What do you need?"

"Oh um... this is gonna be hard for me to tell you this, especially after you just looked so happy. I regret to have to be the one to inform you that your son, Shaun, he just passed away a few minutes ago."

"Oh god," they both cry.

"I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do."

Nora's head becomes dizzy and she places her fingers against her temple. MacCready wraps his arm around her back to ensure that she doesn't fall over. After a minute of her trying to hold back her sorrow she looks over at the doctor.

"Can I see him? I want to see him."

"Of course," the doctor replies.

She stands up from the bed and MacCready grabs the bed's blanket to wrap around her shoulders. He helps her to walk as they follow the doctor up two fights of stairs and down a hallway to where Shaun's apartment is. As they step into the room they can see him laid out on his bed on the far wall. They step up beside him and Nora places her hand on his head to prove to herself that he is in fact gone and not just sleeping. She can already tell that he has a weird temperature to him. When she lifts her hand back up his head falls slightly to the side. Her stomach swells as if it is being stabbed by a thousand tiny needles.

"No," she cries as her body lurches forward.

MacCready catches her and holds her against himself. She cries into his shoulder as she grips on to him tightly. MacCready turns to the doctor.

"Did he go peacefully?" He asks.

"We made him as comfortable as we could."

Nora lifts her face from MacCready's soaked shoulder. "Did he say anything?"

"Only that he was sorry and that you are to be his successor."

"What if I don't want it?" She snaps.

"Well, if you choose to stand down then we will have a console meeting to discus and then vote on a new successor."

As she is about to say something MacCready cuts her off. "Nora look... I can admit that I am not the biggest fan of this place myself but you need to take a moment and think about your decision. Think of all the good you can accomplish with all this technology at your fingertips. Think of all the lives you could save, not only human but synth as well."

"But I am not sure I want that kind of responsibility. I don't want to be seen as a leader. I just want to live my life peacefully and happy... with you."

"Look, this doesn't have to change our plans. You have to take some time to get healed up anyway so how about we use that time to see how much effort it is really going to take to be the voice of the Institute. After a week or two if you still don't think you can do it, then we'll just walk away."

They look deep into each others eyes. Nora wipes her face then looks back over at Shaun.

"I guess it is what he wanted." She turns back to MacCready. "Alright. Let's give it a try."

"I know you can do this. You are strong, good willed, and oh so smart."

She smiles, "Thanks Robert."


	5. Chapter 5

Over the next couple of weeks Nora finds herself taking on the role of leader like Swan to water. Even in such a short amount of time she is able to convince not only the members of the Institute but the people of the Commonwealth that gen three synths are entitled to rights and are no longer to be treated as slaves. Gen ones and gen twos are not programmed to have freewill so they remain under watch. She also announced that Synths are no longer to be segregated or hunted by anyone including the Brotherhood. To do so is punishable by death. Of course at first the Brotherhood did not listen and Nora had to make it her responsibility to make them leave. She ordered a full on attack with all the gen ones and gen twos at her disposal and did not stop until every last member of the Brotherhood fled the Commonwealth.

Things begin to change quickly. With Nora's guidance all civilians take this opportunity to change their lives for the better. The world starts to feel not so empty and people are able to fan out a bit more every day without the fear that something is going to capture them and steal them away in the night. Sure there are still a few skeptics who think that scenario is a high probability, but with Nora's reputation most people trust that whatever she decides is best for everyone.

Nora brings herself up to date with all the latest projects the Institute has in store then gives out her demands for each of them. Once everything is set she is able to find herself able to relax so she and MacCready decide that the time for their vacation has come. They suit themselves up with the latest gear the Institute has to offer then make their way to the Nuka Cola transit center.

Upon arrival they discover that what they were expecting to be just an easy getaway is instead a breeding ground for raiders. 'Just another day in the Commonwealth.' They think to themselves. They fight their way into the theme park. With the two of them side by side nothing and no one is able to get in their way. They make it all the way to the battle arena where a man in a juiced up, pre-war, armor, suit challenges them to fight to the death. They make quick work of him using their plasma infused shotguns. The roar of the on lookers dies quickly when they realize that the two people who stand before them are a force that can not be taken down.

A local raider named Gage announces their victory then sets them loose into Nuka World. He shows them to their new home a top Fizztop Grille. Nora once again uses her leader skills to tell the residents of Nuka World that changes will be taking place. She fights off the dangers within the parks themselves then returns home to finish off the biggest threat. The raiders.

As usual, none of their rivals ever want to just pack up and leave and once again Nora has to take control and this time she does so by using the parks animatronics. Many machines are shot into scrap during the battle but with hundreds of robots able to flood the streets at a time, the raiders have no choice but to surrender. They leave the park in a huff as all their once slaved citizens cheer.

Standing at the gate, Nora and MacCready make sure to watch as all their hard work is expressed through smiles and laughter. Nora takes MacCready by the hand and gives him a quick kiss.

"Come on, I've got a surprise waiting for you."

MacCready looks at her confused. "When did you have time to set up a surprise?"

She hushes him then pulls him along behind her towards their house. As they ride the lift up to the balcony of Fizztop Grille Nora begins to remove her weapon holsters. Once they reach the top she powers off the lift so that it can't be used by someone from the bottom. She sets all of her gear down on the bar in the center of the balcony then begins to strip off her armor.

The crotch of MacCready's suit becomes tight at a list of possibilities run through his head. 'Is this finally it? Is she stripping to let me know she is ready? But it is so sudden. Surely she would say something before we would just start.'

"I want you to strip down to your jumpsuit," she instructs.

Without questioning her he does as she asks and mimics her actions. Once they are both stripped down she takes him by the hand again and leads him inside. The room is very dark so Nora flips on all the light switches. Many lamps and decorative neon signs come to life illuminating the room. MacCready was expecting her to suddenly shout 'surprise' but as he looks around he finds nothing.

She continues to lead him into a hallway that was previously locked. At the end of the hallway is a elevator that has a damaged, blinking, light inside it. Feeling nervous about entering an elevator that looks like it is about to fall apart he hesitates.

"Come on," Nora says while pulling at his arm.

"Are you sure that thing is not going to become our coffin?" He wines.

She gives him a disappointed frown. "After everything we have been through together, you are going to chicken out over a creaky elevator."

"Well yeah, I can't shoot an elevator in order to live."

Nora laughs, "I promise you it is fine. I fixed it up myself last week."

She continues to pull at him until he follows her inside.

"This better be one hell of a surprise," he groans.

The elevator dings then grinds its gears to lower them to the floor below. It dings again then comes to a jilting stop. Nora quickly steps out in front of him.

"Okay, so I want you to close your eyes."

"Whatever you say."

He places his right hand over his face as Nora guides him with his left. After a few steps she stops.

"Now wait here for just a minute. No peeking."

Feeling that the room is weird somehow, MacCready uses his other four senses to try to figure out why. He can feel that the room is warm unlike a lot of the old, warn down, buildings that they have been in. The air is clear. Not swimming with dust or the smell of something rotten. The only thing his nose is picking up is the distinct smell of metal. At first he can't think of why it smells so familiar. There is also something he finds enticing about it. He hears Nora scuffle on the far side of the room then the sound of what seems to be a refrigerator opens then closes. He hears a pop that catches him off guard but immediately he recognizes the sound of bubbly. She pours two glasses then sets the bottle down on a counter. She steps back over to him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

As he does his eyes blink at the brightness of the rooms lights. At first he can't tell what he is even looking at. Just the color of blue fills half the room that rests just above Nora's waistline. As his vision adjusts he realizes that the blue color is a wall that is made up of some kind of rubbery plastic. It is a pool. He takes a step up to it thinking that he is about to find himself standing over a large body of water but he is shocked when he realizes that the pool is actually filled nearly to the top with bottle-caps. His jaw drops and his eyes light up. He sticks his hand into it unable to believe that what he is seeing is real. As he moves his hands about its surface he can tell by the way the caps shift from his movements that they do indeed go all the way down to the floor. He turns to Nora excitedly.

"How did you...?"

She holds out a glass of champagne to him and as he takes it from her he sweeps in for a passionate kiss.

"You always said you would walk a hundred miles if you knew their was a pile of caps waiting for you at the end. Well, is this pile big enough for you?"

He fights to catch his breath, too happy for words to describe. "How did you do all this?"

"Well, I made a deal with The Caravan. I told them I could get them any supplies they needed so long as they promised to pay me a little extra for the convenience. Plus I already had over a million dollars worth of prewar cash so that helped. It was what was in my pack that day at Fairline Estates. I knew if we didn't take that money with us that I would never get another opportunity to do this."

"So then how did you set this up without me finding out?"

"There is a back door that leads into this room. I gave one of the guards the key and told them to make the drop off while you and I were away. I am just glad everything worked out as expected."

"This is incredible. I don't know how to repay you."

"You don't need to look at this as some kind of debt. I did this because I wanted to give you something."

"I don't think I can accept that."

"Well then let's talk about it later. There is something I have been dying to try."

She steps up onto the counter next to the pool and prepares to jump onto the pile.

"Be careful," MacCready warns.

"Okay, here I go!"

She takes a big leap then lands clumsily on the surface that only gives way slightly. She was hoping for it to be more like a ball pit but instead it is as if she has jumped into a net made of metal. She lets out a painful laugh.

"Are you okay?" MacCready asks.

"Yeah, that was a very dumb idea," Nora continues to laugh.

He climbs into the pool and buries himself into the center. Nora sits herself up and does her best to dig her feet into the caps. Eventually she is able to slide herself up to her waist. They ting their glasses together and down the delicious flavor within. MacCready wraps his free hand around her back and holds her close to him.

"How can one person be so perfect?" He asks.

"I don't know, you tell me," she replies.

They lean in for another kiss when suddenly they are interrupted by the sound of the door buzzer going off. They both sigh.

"Never a peaceful moment," says MacCready.

"To be continued."

They give each other a quick peck then climb their way out of the pool. Their who way back to the balcony the door buzzer continues to be pressed. They finally reach main hall.

"We're coming!" Nora shouts annoyed.

She opens the door wide to find Gage with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"So this is how it is, eh boss?" He grumbles.

"What do you want Gage?" Nora groans.

"What do I want? Like you have to ask. I was the one who brought you to this place and now you've kicked everyone out."

"They all had a choice Gage. No one would have had to leave if only they would have stood down."

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter anyway. This place is a shit hole. Always has been and always will be. Have fun with you new found leadership." He walks away in a huff.

"Hey! How did you get up here anyway?"

"I have my ways," he replies as he uses the lift to return to the ground floor.

"So what now?" MacCready asks.

"I have a few ideas," Nora replies.


	6. Chapter 6

She looks over at the mic set up at the front of the balcony. She tests to see if it still works and as she turns it on a loud buzz fills the air.

"Attention Nuka World residents! This is Nora Caragan speaking. I ask that everyone please gather round Fizztop Grille for some important announcements."

As the minuets pass hundreds of citizens from far and near quickly create a wave of bodies just out front of her location. Once she is confident that most of the people have arrived she continues. "So... for those of you who may not yet be informed, the time for change has officially arrived. What does this mean exactly? Well let me lay it out so that everyone is on the same page and rumors can cease. The raiders are officially gone!"

The crowed cheers loudly in celebration. She watches as people cry and hug one another some even in disbelief that her words are true. She claps and cheers along with them for the longest moment. She then gives a wide hand gesture for everyone to quiet down.

"I want to thank all of you who helped in this time of desperation, but this does not mean we are out of the woods just yet. There is going to be a lot of work that needs to begin in order for us to bring back Nuka World as not only a trading post but a place where families can feel welcome, safe, and enjoy themselves. First item I would like to address is the collars. Fear not my good people, for I have someone within my circle who knows how to deactivate the collars safely and securely. This person is already among you and will work as diligently as they can. I know all of you who are fitted with a collar are eager to get them removed as soon as possible but I beg you to please have patience. Under no circumstances should you try to remove your own or anyone else's collar yourselves. They can be very sensitive and pron to accidents. I want us to move forward with as few casualties as possible."

MacCready straitens his back feeling pride and admiration for all that Nora has accomplished. He steps up next to her and watches her with a smirk on his face. As he looks down at the crowd he wonders how many people down there would literally kill to be where he is standing now. Nora was a nobody in the eyes of humanity. Just a stay at home mom with no one but her husband and son to love her and now that they are gone she has managed to fill the hearts of thousands of people from all over the state.

Nora notices him staring and becomes a bit more stage shy but does her best to press on. "The second item I want to announce is now that Nuka World's power is back online we will be putting the animatronics back in production for both protection and maintenance as needed for the park and its citizens. This includes functions such as serving fresh water and snacks for everyone who may be in need. Further on this matter is I ask for everyone to please not scrap the robots or mess with their functions in any way for these actions could cause errors in their programming and harm may follow suit. I would like to also add that if any of you have any knowledge about how to repair our robots and would like reasonable pay for their work to please talk to my assistant Liam Binet and I will get back to you as soon as possible."

MacCready speaks up, "Do you really think we can trust those machines not to go on a killing spree again?"

She turns to answer him, "The only reason that happened in the first place was due to people who didn't understand the park's programming going in and messing with things that had no need of being messed with. Mr. Bradberton had already fixed errors to the robots way back when the park first opened. He had to or else suffer massive law suits. They were designed to be safe not only around adults but children. I know we can get them back to their proper working order as long as we know what to fix."

"Sounds complicated to me, but if you are confident you can create this dream world of yours then I'll stand by you all the way."

"Thank you Robert." She turns back to her audience who have been waiting impatiently for her to continue. "The final topic that I would like to bring up is the issue with hygiene. Though most of you may have fallen into the belief that in today's world hygiene is one of the last things anyone should be worried about, I beg to differ. Just because this park is in the middle of a desert does not mean we can't keep it clean."

The crowed grumbles. Even if they wanted to bath it seems like an impossible feat. The entire park is laced with trash and all the fresh water is being used up by every citizen in order to just stay alive. Using water for hygiene would just feel like such a waste.

She holds up her hands to silence them. "Now don't misunderstand what I am saying. I know everyone here has had it rough and you are all due for some much needed vacation time, but this does not mean we can't get a leg up on things right away. I simply ask all of you to do your part to not create more of a mess than we already have. Initial clean up will be handled by the park's robot staff as well as some of my friends from The Institute. This includes emptying the trash-bins, sweeping the pathways, keeping the food stands wiped and stocked, as well as maintaining our bathrooms."

The crowd becomes curious and shocked. The toilets haven't worked since the bombs feel and most of them are clogged from repeated use without water to flush them out.

"Yes you heard me. I plan to get all the plumbing for the park functional again, in time. What I want from all of you is your cooperation in using the trash-bins and the restrooms properly so that we can be productive in removing such waste to a designated area away from the park."

"Wow, you even have me in awe by your claims. You really seem determined to bring this place back up to speed," MacCready chimes in.

"Most importantly is how we are going to keep ourselves clean. Without their being plumbing yet I have come up with a solution that I hope everyone can agree on. Right here in the center of town, I am going to make this whole pool of water a communal wash. How you might ask? With the mixture of chemicals that are both safe and effective as well as water-pumps set up all around the circle to ensure maximum water production that will flow from one purifier to the next and then filtered out. My staff and I will work day and night to guard the machines and ensure that they are not tampered with as well as remaining functional. Now I will warn you all that the wash water will be in no way safe to ingest but it will be safe enough that you can wash your clothes as well as your bodies without worry of burns or infections. That is unless of course you happen to be allergic and at that point we will have to find you a different solution. We will later be working out details about privacy while using this wash as a bath in the near future but right now it is up to the citizens to decide if they care to be naked in front of other people or not."

"At least we have our own private bath right sweetheart?" MacCready says only half kidding.

Nora ignores his comment. "So with all of that, does everyone think this is a future we can strive for?"

The crowd cheers wildly with excitement and joy in their voices.

"Thank you. Now, at the risk of me sounding completely selfish, I warn that NO ONE is to disturb Mr. MacCready and myself for the next forty eight hours. We will be locking ourselves away in my headquarters and I won't be coming back out until I feel it necessary. I hope you can all understand. Have a good night and I will see you all soon." She takes a step back from the intercom and turns towards MacCready who is still looking at her in awe.

"Wow Nora, that was... exhilarating. All those people counting on you, trusting you, I've never seen anything like it."

"The only person that I care to feel that way about me right now, is you." She takes him by the hand and locks their fingers together. "Come on. Let's go back inside."

They walk in slowly together knowing that the time has finally come. These are the last few moments they will spend together as two separate people. The road has been long, perilous, and a lot of the time even hopeless, but through it all they have managed to stick together. Nora turns the nob to the double doors, pulls it open, then leads MacCready inside before closing and locking them behind her. Everything has become silent. The two of them take in a long breath then let it out a sigh to relax themselves but their hearts wont stop racing. They take a few steps into the hall but then Nora stops with her grip still tight on him.

He turns to her concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fantastic. I haven't felt this happy since..." She pauses not wanting to bring up the past. "Well I am sure you can imagine why I might be a bit scared by all this."

He places his hands over her jawline and rubs his thumbs across her cheeks. He can tell by the glossiness in her eyes that she wants to cry but she is fighting with all her might to hold back. "You have no reason to be scared anymore. I'll always be by your side. I love you Nora. I love you more than anything else in this whole world."

She takes in a gasp of air before being able to say the words, "I love you too Robert."

He pulls her to him and their hearts flutter like the wings of a hummingbird. Not able to get enough, they press their mouths together so hard it hurts. Every now and again their front teeth scrape against each other. Nora sucks on MacCready's bottom lip craving every last bit of him then he sucks her tongue into his mouth and wraps his lips around it. The taste of her saliva is sweeter than any mix of alcohol he has ever had in his entire life and right now it is making him feel ten times more drunk.

"Make love to me," Nora begs in a soft whisper.

He takes a moment to look into her eyes and make sure there is absolutely no doubt in her words. When all he finds is longing he unzips his suit then makes short work of his his button up dress shirt. Unable to keep himself from touching her, he leans into her and they continue to make out as they undress. Nora kicks off her suit then lifts her blouse up over her arms reveling her naked collarbone to him. He glances down at her chest and her face blushes hot. He then kisses at her neck and shoulder, nibbling at her skin that smells of floral soap. Never before has he known a woman who keeps herself as neat and proper as her. He thinks to himself 'Is this how all women use to smell?' He is unable to picture himself in such a world. The only logic he can come up with is she is the only one who can smell the way she does because she had been preserved.

Nora moans softly as his hands caress her naval. She returns his gestures and looks down at his muscular abs. Being accented by his open shirt, she thinks he looks like a model from a fitness magazine. She places her hands against his chest and becomes amazed by how toned he is. She slides her hands up his collarbone to his shoulders and gently pushes the fabric from his shoulders. He allows it to fall freely to the floor. She continues to move her hands over his arms, down to his biceps. She gives them a squeeze in her fingers admiring them. MacCready flexes them wanting to impress her further. She watches as his muscles bulge and ripple under his skin. She has never seen such a stature in real life. He is a like sculpted masterpiece. She gives his nipple a lick. He smirks and lets out a chuckle.

She giggles, "How long have you been this fit?"

"Well, I've always tried to keep myself strong. Both physically and mentally. But being by your side through out this past year has taught me I was no where near as strong as I could be. It is because of you I have managed to become this strong. Mostly because I want to be able to protect you, in anyway that I can."

"You have, and I thank you for that."

She gives him another kiss and their hearts flutter again. The hallway has already become warm just from their body-heat. Nora was planning on setting up a romantic fire but now there is no need for one. She slides her hand southward until she feels the hard lump on the front of his pants resting in her palm.

He moans, "Holy fuck!" He looks at her with animalistic eyes. "I can't wait to be so deep inside you."

"I thought you didn't like getting wet?" Nora teases.

"Now, you know I didn't mean it like that sweetheart."

He kisses at her jawline as he pulls her waistband free from her hips. Her belted pants jangle against the floor leaving her wearing only her bra and panties. He gets to work on his own belt as Nora continues to massage his aching cock that has already become so swollen it could burst at any moment. Once his belt loop is free she helps him tug both his pants and his underwear down at the same time. His cock springs up as the last bit of fabric is pulled away. She studies it and just like the rest of his body it turns out to be perfect. Not too long, short, thin, or thick. Just an above average size that appears larger than it would have if he hadn't given himself proper grooming. It wiggles at her with anticipation.

Feeling like they are no longer on equal terms, Nora turns her attention to her bra and unsnaps the back. MacCready's throat becomes dry and a bead of sweat drips from his brow. This will be the first time he has ever seen her bare breasted. He has had numerous dreams about this moment but somehow none of them were perfect compared to this. Only a thin lace conceals her modesty. 'How can such an important thing be hidden away with such little security?' She slides the straps from her shoulders then slowly slides the bra downward allowing her breasts to hang naturally before him. Their round fullness contrast to her flat, slender waist. Her nipples are already hard and have shrank to little pink circles on their tips. He would have never guessed she has already given birth if it were not for the stretchmarks that line her hips as well as the sides of her breasts. However this doesn't bother him in the slightest. To him it only makes her that much more attractive. It proves to him that she has been through large amounts of unbearable pain probably more times than most people can claim and yet she has retained her beauty both inside and out.

He closes his eyes for a moment trying to calm himself long enough to speak, "Nora, my words could never describe just how perfect a woman you are."

"I don't want you to tell me. I want you to show me."

She places her fingers in-between her V-line and her underwear and slips them off without hesitation. She then places her fingers around his hips and pulls them up against hers. The shaft of his cock comes into contact with her slit right between the dry, stubble of her outer lips and the slippery, wet, warmth of her labia. He moves his hips back and forth to allow her moisture to completely coat his head and most of his length. Her pussy begins to tingle uncontrollably. She knows that as soon as he enters her it wont take long for her to reach her peak. Once MacCready feels as if he can slide against her smoothly, he places the head over her opening and prods himself between her folds. She lefts up her right leg and wraps it around his hip opening herself up to him.

"Are you ready?" He asks.

"Yes," she answers sensually.

With just a slight thrust of his hip MacCready is able to slip himself nearly half way up into her tight, warm, vagina. They both let out a loud moan as her walls push back against him causing that most coveted pleasurable feeling to spread out from their genitals into the rest of their bodies. His shaft is so stiff but also silky to the touch causing her walls to crave more and quiver uncontrollably. He pulls himself back ever so slightly causing her moister to coat his head once again and as he thrusts for a second time he is able to slip all the up until his base connects with her clitoris. He looses feeling in his legs for a moment as his brain focuses on all the feelings being absorbed by his cock. Their heads spin and they take each other into their mouths once again. Once MacCready regains his balance he places his hands against Nora's tender butt-cheeks and lifts her other leg up off the floor. Now with total control, he takes a step forward and rests her back against the wall in order to thrust into her with a bit more force. She moans again and again. Each moan a bit more intense than the last.

He nibbles at her ear and whispers, "Yeah, you like that?"

"A little higher," she replies with heated breath.

He takes another slight step forward and her breasts cuddle his and her clitoris becomes pinned between their pelvises. She lets out another loud moan not holding anything back.

"Yeah! Yeah! Just like that! Ohh yea, just like that! Ahh! Ahh!"

Her walls immediately tighten around him and he can feel himself lose control. His trusts turn into quick pulses that he can't slow down.

"Nora, I'm gonna cum! I can't..."

"It's okay. Give it to me! I want you to give it to me! Aaah!"

They both climax nearly at the exact same moment. Endorphins rush to their brains bringing them back to that euphoric feeling. Both of them didn't want the pleasure to heighten so quickly but they are still happy that their first time ended with them both feeling satisfied. Nora takes in deep breaths with her head against the wall as MacCready continues to thrust into her until his nuts become fully drained allowing him to become soft and releasing him of the swollen ache. With their chests still pressed against one other they can feel their hearts racing simultaneously. With each breath they return to normal.

Maccready decides to break up the silence, "Wow, I think that beats my record of how fast I have cum in my entire life." He takes in a deep breath. "And that includes jerking off," he chuckles.

"Same here," Nora replies. She gives him a kiss on the ear. "So is that it?"

"Fuck no. You gave us forty eight hours of uninterrupted time together and I don't plan on wasting it."

He gives her a long, deep, kiss. Within seconds she can feel his cock becoming hard once again.

"Alright. Just give me a minute to get cleaned up."

"Okay."

He kisses her again then sets her down on her feet. As she walks into the bathroom he makes his way over to the far corner of the room where they have a bed set up behind some room dividers. He lies down on the freshly washed blanket and fluffy pillow and sighs happily at how comfortable his entire body feels. The few euphoric minutes after sex, he almost forgot what it felt like. He looks down at his crotch and sees his erection looking back at him just as it always has, even on nights when he was alone. It is begging him to wrap his hand around its shaft and stroke vigorously but tonight is meant for so much more. He looks away, up at the ceiling and wonders to himself 'How did my life get to this point?'

The sound of the bathroom door opening catches his attention. Nora steps out and makes her way over to him. He realizes this is the first time he is seeing her complete silhouette without anything obstructing her lines and curves.

"So beautiful," he whispers.

She blushes, stopping in her tracks. He holds out his arms to her, not wanting her to be separate from him for even another second. She takes him by the hands then crawls on top of him. Her labia rests against his shaft that twitches again and again, wanting so bad to find her entrance and slip inside. She looks down at his bare chest and for the first time she is able to study the many cuts and scars that have created a canvas out of his skin. The biggest one she finds runs just along his left rib-cage. She traces her fingers over it.

"I got that while fighting my first yao guai when I was fifteen. Bastard broke three of my ribs before I was able to get my gun barrel under his jaw." Nora leans down and kisses the spot tenderly. He laughs and squirms. "That tickles so much."

Nora giggles, "You're such a kid." She kisses up his chest then stops once they become face to face.

As he pushes her dangling hair to the side, he looks at her with a serious expression, "You know I could never deny you right?" She looks into his eyes and just like that day at Noodles she can tell that he is speaking from his heart. "Anything you want Nora... anything in the whole world... you just tell me what it is and I will get it for you."

She gives him a big smile then leans down and gives him a couple pecks on the mouth. "Right now... all I want... is you."

Feeling her passion, his already aching heart becomes even more sore as it flutters at her touch. She lifts up her hips ever so slightly, allowing the head of his cock to rest against her entrance. With one more slight movement she slides all the way onto him. She feels just as soft and clean as she did the first time. How she was able to accomplish that is beyond MacCready's understanding but it inspires his instincts to soil her once more.

As the corona of his cock connects with her G-spot she arches herself back. Her hair whips behind her and he gets a full visual of her breasts as they bounce from his thrusts. Unable to control himself, he places his hands over her hips and holds her in place as he continues to lift himself up into her. Every ripple, every twitch of her pleasure sends heat and electricity traveling through his shaft, past his V-line, and into his abdomen.

She bites her bottom lip trying to keep herself from letting out too many moans all at once. Within minutes she can feel herself reaching her limit again. She closes her eyes and tilts her head up to the ceiling, while fondling her own breasts. Wanting so badly to feel their silky texture against his face, MacCready holds her tightly against himself then rolls her onto her back. He immediately buries his face between her breasts and kisses them repeatedly. His thrusts turn into quick pulses as his corona continues to be massaged by the small muscle that contracts every time he hits her sweet spot.

Wanting to take things one step further he positions himself so that he is up on his knees. Now able to use his lower half as leverage, he places his thumb over the nob of her clitoris and rubs it in tiny circles. Her whole body becomes tense. She bits her lip even harder and grabs at the bed-sheets feeling as if she needs to dig her fingers into something soft. Her moans keep her air intake short, causing her to become lightheaded.

"Robert! I'm gonna cum again!"

Her skin flushes red. He becomes mesmerized by how much passion and pleasure he can read on her face. Never before has he had sex with someone who appears to give their entire body over to the sensation. Most of his past sexual experiences have been the woman just laying flat on their back with no assistance what so ever. Even the times he had with Lucy were dull compared to everything Nora is giving him right now. The sway of her hips, her moans, even her sweat. For the first time he realizes that this is what it means to make love with someone.

"I love you so much Nora," he says breathlessly.

Her face loosens as her attention becomes focused on his words. He gives her a smile that cause his eyes to glow in a way she has never seen from him before. It reminds her of when she use to make love with Nate. There is something so innocent about them. As if there has never been a single trace of sadness behind them. She places her hand on the back of his head and massages her fingers into the locks of his hair.

"I love you too," she replies while trying to keep her tone as calm as she can.

He leans down to take her into is mouth. Wanting to taste every last bit of her pleasure his tongue moves wildly between her lips. Having never lost his rhythm, Nora's climax is still at its peak which she expresses by wrapping her legs around his waist.

Unable to breath from his kisses, she pulls back from him and moans to the ceiling, "Yes! Just like that! Don't stop!"

Wanting to satisfy her command he does his best not to run out of stamina as it still takes a bit for her orgasm to peak. Suddenly he losses control over his movements as his own orgasm rises. His cock twitches and he losses the strength in his legs. His twitching is enough to send her over the edge.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Her moans rise.

Feeling her walls tighten, he slips himself all the way into her. His seed erupts into her womb, filling her that much more. Surely this would be MacCready's testament to if he has become infertile from his exposure to radiation over the years. There is no way that if she has an egg resting anywhere inside her that it didn't just get a visit from at least a thousand of his swimmers. With one final thrust, he can feel some of his ejaculation overflow her entrance and drip out onto his balls. With the last bit of his energy, he keeps himself from falling on top of her as they kiss deeply. His now soft cock slips itself from inside her and he shifts himself in order to lay next to her. She wraps her arm around his chest as they struggle to catch their breath.

"Holy fuck Nora. How do you do that?"

"Do what?" She asks curious as to what he could mean.

He turns his face to meet hers. "How are you able to show me that I am not alone anymore?"

"I didn't know you felt alone."

"I don't. Now that I have you." He gives her a kiss on the forehead.

"I guess all I can say is... the same way you show me. The only difference being that at least you still have your son."

"Why don't we go see him? Better yet, we can go get him and bring him back here. I sure he would be thrilled to live at a theme park and if we accomplish all that you have promised, it might be the best life I can offer him."

Nora gives him a big grin. "Let's do it."

"Let's do it," he confirms.

THE END


End file.
